Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie has been touted as a major factor as to why Thor: Ragnarok has been raking in rave reviews as it gets set for a blockbuster opening. And now that we’ve learned that her characterization is based on Star Wars’ favorite rogue, it makes even more sense.
While speaking to The Independent, the actress elaborated on her character, revealing that her Asgardian warrior was actually pitched by director Taika Waititi to Marvel Studios as a female version of Han Solo. In short, she blurs the lines between hero and anti-hero.
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“It was quite collaborative but [Taika] and I got on from the minute we met each other,” the actress recalled. “He pitched Valkyrie as sort of the Han Solo over the movie and so I sort of knew the space that she wanted to occupy, and we wanted to subvert any sort of cliches in our portrayal of her. I say ‘ours’ because he was really integral to that.”
The earliest Ragnarok footage showed Valkyrie as a bounty-hunter snatching Thor for the Grandmaster’s gladiator arena on Sakaar, but in the plethora of clips subsequently released, it became clear that she will switch sides and join the Odinson to take on Hela. While it remains to be seen just how integral she is to Thor’s journey in the sequel, fans are eager to see if she joins the God of Thunder against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.
Debuting Nov. 3, director Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett and Karl Urban.
Via CinemaBlend